A Day Late
by Zuri-kun
Summary: Repost. Oneshot. Harry left to take care of unfinished business. 5 years later he bumps into a certain someone. Can they salvage what was lost, or is it too late? HarryGinny fluffangst. R&R please!


Hey guys, I wanted to re-edit this as there were a few things that needed changing to meet my artistic eye. They're so small you probably won't notice if you read it the first time, but I felt the need to do it anyways. The song is called Day Late Friend by Anberlin. It's fun to listen to while you read it. So go do that lol. Okay, here we go.

I don't own Harry Potter or the song lyrics.

* * *

The sun dawned Saturday bright and early, as it did every Saturday morning. The brisk early fall morning was only disturbed by a jogger or two, perhaps with a dog, and the very occasional car on the way to make some overtime money at the office. For most people, it seemed a day like any other, but to a certain group of people mornings like these looked brighter, warmer. For while most people didn't know it, a great evil had passed from the world just 5 short years ago. Those who knew no longer took their days for granted, knowing how close the world had come to perpetual darkness. A boy, no, a man, of only 18 years had vanquished the monster, nearly giving up his own life in the process.

The boy was of course Harry Potter, as anyone with connections to the wizarding world would know, and the monster was none other than Voldemort, You-Know-Who, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Harry, with the help of his friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, had gathered together the pieces of Voldemort's soul and destroyed them, allowing Tom Riddle to finally die. Harry faced him in a final duel after destroying the Dark Lord's snake, the final known Horcrux. Only Harry knew about the final battle, for he left his friends behind, claiming it was for their safety. He never spoke of what happened, but Aurors found him several days later, battered almost beyond recognition and nearly dead. After a few months of recovery, Harry simply left. With only a note of goodbye, he was gone. And that's where our story picks up.

* * *

The apartment's alarm clock went off, immediately rousing the occupant of the queen size bed next to the nightstand. An arm groped out from under the covers and smashed the snooze button. After a few seconds of stillness and silence, a very tired man rose from bed and shuffled to the closet to find some clothes. This man stood about six feet tall, with shoulder length jet black hair, which was quite simply untamable. He brushed aside the hair hanging in his face to scratch his scalp, revealing a jagged scar on his forehead. He mumbled something incoherent and went for the shower. Mr. Potter was definitely not a morning person.

After a fast shower, warm then ice cold to wake him up, Harry got out, popped in his contacts, and used his wand to give the back of his hair a quick trim. 'Never liked the mullet look…' he thought as he shaped it to his liking. It looked a bit more like it did when he was younger, just slightly longer. It easily hid the top half of his head and concealed his scar nicely. 'Not that anyone takes the time to notice it here,' he contemplated as he threw open the curtains to give a beautiful view of the New York City skyline and Central Park. 'Moving here was a good choice. So different from England…'

Harry walked down the busy street, dressed in his Muggle best. He wore comfortable brown shoes, a pair of slightly faded jeans, and a gray shirt covered in a beautiful leather jacket. Fall in New York could be a bit chilly, after all. Harry wasn't working at the moment. In fact, he'd done nothing that would qualify as work in several months. He'd left because there was still business he needed to attend to, away from the people he loved. They'd be in too much danger had he stayed, after all. As things were wrapping up, he just fell in love with the city and couldn't bring himself to leave. He began to track the movements of dark wizards and Death Eaters in America, but after a few years most of them had been dealt with, at least to the point that the American Ministry of Magic could take over. So Harry had retired from his impromptu Auror work and began to just enjoy life. He was planning on meeting a very good friend later that evening and wanted to kill some time. So he went window shopping. Christmas goodies were just starting to come out, even though Thanksgiving hadn't even arrived yet. Harry had stopped to look at a very large box of fancy chocolates when someone going the other way collided violently with him. The person's packages (there were quite a few) went flying, and in New York, no one really bothers to stop and help. Harry felt awful for it, and muttered continuous apologies while he helped pick everything up.

"Miss, I am so sorry, I didn't mean to stop in the middle of the sidewalk, it's just that I was looking in the window and… GINNY!"

"HARRY!" The 22 year old woman that was Ginny Weasley stared at him in disbelief for a good 10 seconds before unceremoniously throwing herself at him in a huge bear hug. She stood 5'5" at best, with the same slim build and shoulder-length fire red hair as she had possessed last time Harry had seen her.

"Umm, Gin…? I still need to breathe…!"

"Oops, sorry Harry, I just haven't seen you in five years. What do you expect, a pat on the back and 'how've you been?'" she asked, grinning as she released him.

"Fair enough. Feel like getting a drink?"

"I'd be delighted."

* * *

The two made their way down the street to a small, clean coffee shop, the kind you can find about every block in New York. After ordering coffees they sat down and began to catch up. They spoke of what the last five years had been for them, Harry being quite vague, and eventually, as all conversations, do, finally got around to the real point.

"Harry, why did you leave?" The man grimaced and took a second before attempting to answer.

"Ginny, I'm sorry, but there were still some things I had to do, and…"

"No, Harry. Why did… why did you leave me?"

_So let me get this straight_

_Say now you loved me all along_

_What made you hesitate_

_To tell me with words what you really feel_

"…What?"

"Don't play dumb Potter," she said, her eyes shining with emotion. "You were supposed to come back to me. Why didn't you?"

"Ginny, look, I…" he couldn't finish, but instead looked up from the table to her, seeing something in her gaze he'd forgotten. There was love there.

"Gin, do you still care for me?" there was a pause for a moment as Ginny blinked back a tear before she looked back at him. Her voice barely came out above a broken whisper.

"I never stopped…"

_I can see it in your eyes, you mean all of what you say_

_I remember so long ago, see I felt the same way_

There was a five or so minute stretch of silence while the pair composed themselves. Finally Harry broke the quiet.

"Ginny, I don't think I did either…" she began crying again now, quietly.

"Gin, did I say something wrong?" She stifled a small sob and tried to respond.

"Harry, I…"

"Ginny, before you say anything else…"

"I just wanted you to know…"

"I should probably tell you…"

"There's someone else," they finished said together.

_Now we both have separate lives and lovers (and lovers)_

_Insignificantly enough we both have significant others_

_Only time will tell_

_Time will turn and tell_

Both stared at each other, emotions mixed beyond belief. Here, they had just admitted nothing had changed, but then in the next moment that everything had. Shock registered clearly on both people's faces. Not knowing what to say, Ginny changed the subject.

"So, um, what did you leave England for?"

"Oh, well, there was a problem with defeating Tom."

"What!" A table close by turned to look at them. Harry waved off an apology and turned back.

"You remember I told you about the horcruxes, right?"

"No, you wouldn't tell me. Ron and Hermione did," she told him slightly indignantly.

"Oh… well, anyway, I didn't exactly have the last one destroyed before, you know, that night…" Ginny looked a bit surprised.

"But that would mean…"

"Yes. He could have come back. I knew where it was, but I just needed to eliminate Tom first."

"Why, what was the last one?" There was a long pause. Ginny thought maybe Harry hadn't heard her.

"Harry, what was…?"

"The last horcrux was me."

_We are who we were when_

_Could've been lovers_

_But at least you're still my day late friend_

_We are who_

_We are who we were when_

Ginny stared in horror at her friend. This man, who as a child had taken on more than an average wizard would in their entire lives, was telling her that he was a carrier of Voldemort's soul. But how? When?

"He used my parents' deaths to do it, when I was a baby. I guess he had a moment to do it when he saw the curse backfire."

"But Harry, why didn't you tell us? Why did you run away instead of letting us help you?" Ginny's temper was starting to rise with her voice. Harry saw an explosion aimed at him coming, but knew he needed to finish his thought anyway.

"Ginny, think about it. What if he took over me? You'd all die. He would have killed all of you, and there would have been nothing I could have done to stop him. I would have been dead! I had to leave, it was for your own good!" By now most of the coffee shop was staring at them, bewildered at what they were hearing. To Harry's surprise though, Ginny began laughing. Not with humor, but instead with pity, a sad, low chuckle.

"You're nobility complex again… Some things never change, do they Harry? We should probably leave, everyone's staring."

_Who knew what we know now_

_Could've been more_

_But at least you're still my day late friend_

_We are who_

_We are who we were when_

They exited the coffee shop and headed off in the general direction of Central Park. It was late afternoon, perhaps early evening depending on how you'd judge it, and with the wind picking up it was a bit uncomfortable outside. Ginny shivered a bit, leaning into Harry, who instinctively put an arm around her. He marveled at how she seemed to fit just right against his side. Harry wondered what exactly she meant by there being someone else. How serious was it? Did they still stand a chance, or was it over? Would she ever be able to love the new him, the man he'd become after five years?

Ginny's mind was awhirl with thoughts as she walked next to this man, this person with whom everything was right a long time ago. The one whom she loved since she laid eyes on him. Years ago she had known they were destined for each other. Then he left. She had grieved for well over a year before attempting to move on. She found someone else. She should be happy, right? Then why was she having doubts about that choice she made years ago?

_But thoughts they change and times they rearrange_

_I don't know who you are anymore_

_Loves come and go and this I know_

_I'm not who you recall anymore_

A bench in Central Park seemed like a good place to go, especially since they both knew what they still needed to talk about. Ginny sat down, wondering how to start the conversation up, but after a moment chose to delay the inevitable yet again.

"How did you get rid of Voldemort? Really?"

"You mean that last piece of him in me? It wasn't easy or pleasant. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Potter, don't drag it out. Tell the story." Despite the seriousness of the situation, he laughed a bit.

"I needed to remove a part of a soul that was bound to me, so I took a page from Tom's own book."

"What do you mean?"

"I made a horcrux, split him out, and destroyed him."

"But that means…"

"Yes Gin, I had to kill someone…" Harry looked down at her, expecting revulsion, anger, disgust. Instead he saw intense sadness, not at what he did, but at the fact that he had to do it. She held eye contact for barely five seconds before breaking down crying on his shoulder. Harry, not knowing what to do, did what was natural to him. He just held her, rocked her, told her it would be okay. Why did it feel so normal, as though it was how things should be? Why did protecting Ginny, loving her, seem more and more natural?

_But I must confess you're so much more than I remember_

_Can't help but entertain this thought_

_Thoughts of us together_

"Harry… Who…?"

"Snape," he said, loathing very present in his voice. "He betrayed Dumbledore, betrayed us all. I followed him here, found him, and took care of two evils at once." Ginny, stopped crying and smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that. Can't shed any tears for that bastard, now can I?" Harry laughed at how fast she could come around, and remembered how she'd come out of her angry stages the same way. She never held something against him for long. Ever.

"Ginny, you haven't changed a bit, have you?"

_We are who we were when_

_Could've been lovers_

_But at least you're still my day late friend_

_We are who_

_We are who we were when_

They talked until darkness began to creep up on them, talking about nothing in particular, just enjoying each other's company. They opted to find another coffee shop, seeing as it would be warmer and probably safer as well. Harry loved them for the atmosphere. "Reminds me of the Three Broomsticks," he told Ginny as they walked off.

_Who knew what we know now_

_Could've been more_

_But at least you're still my day late friend_

_We are who_

_We are who we were when_

They just sat down, not ordering anything. Harry asked Ginny what she was doing in America, and she told him about her shopping trip to buy stuff for the family. At the mention of family, Harry perked up.

"How are they all doing?"

"Ron and Hermione are great! They'll be having their anniversary party coming up soon, so I was buying for them also." Harry's face fell at this. While he was overjoyed, he realized with a great sinking feeling he had missed his best friends' wedding. Yet another thing Voldemort had stolen from him. 'He took Ginny too…' he though bitterly. Ginny kept talking, not noticing his pain in her excitement.

"Fred and George each got married too, a double wedding. They're doing quite well for themselves, now that their shops have gone public. You being a part owner makes you quite rich off of stock, you know." Harry was once again dumbstruck. As if he didn't have enough money already.

"Tonks and Remus too! But everyone saw that coming…" Harry had had about enough. So much he had missed, so much he'd never get back. He finally got to what he was meaning to talk to her about all night.

"Ginny, who's the guy you're dating? How long have you been together?" She stopped mid-sentence, and a look of pain flitted across her face. She looked at him, seeming to convey the degree of apology she felt.

"It's Dean. We've been married for about two years now."

_My day late friend_

His heart stopped. So many emotions flew through him he didn't know how to respond. Looking at her hands, folded and wringing each other on the table, he saw a beautiful engagement and wedding ring. It was over, sealed. Harry, never knowing, had lost what mattered most to him. And until that instant he didn't even know it.

"He was there for me when you left. He changed a lot, you know. Gave me a chance to try things first instead of smothering me. I tried to push him away but he never gave in. After a year of crying for you I knew I had to move on. I'm sorry Harry, I really am…"

"It's… fine, Gin. I understand. I'd have done the same, I'm sure." She smiled sadly at him before continuing.

"What about you? You… said there was someone else?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, there is," he said, grinning just a bit. "She's wonderful, you know. I met her here before finishing up the last piece of Tom. She's a Muggle, but when I finally told her about our world she accepted it all right away, accepted me right away, even though it would probably scare most people off. We've been seeing each other a little over 6 months now."

"That's great Harry, it really is. I'm happy for you."

_So let me get this straight_

_All these years and you were nowhere to be found_

_And now you want me for your own_

_But you're a day late and my love, she's still renowned_

The pair seemed to have finally talked themselves out. It was very late by now, and both needed to be getting home. Ginny planned to Floo back to the Burrow to drop off Christmas gifts for safe-keeping ("never hurts to shop early!") and then go back to her house, where Dean and their one year-old son were waiting on her. Harry said he'd be going home and calling his girlfriend, who he'd been planning on meeting that evening but never ended up doing so. "It's okay, she'll understand," he assured Ginny over her profuse apologies. "She knows how I feel about her. There's always tomorrow."

_We are who we were when_

_Could've been lovers_

_But at least you're still my day late friend_

_We are who_

_We are who we were when_

They stood outside the shop, looking around at the city life. Cabs sped by, even a few occasional bikers, and a man jogging with his dog.

"It's time for me to go, Harry." Harry just looked at her, smiled a little and nodded.

They embraced in front of the coffee shop, and for just a moment they were 15 and 16 again, on the grounds of Hogwarts, down by the lake or the Quidditch pitch, or cuddled up in front of the fireplace in the common room. Everything was right, there were years upon years ahead for them to share. For just a moment they were kids, kids with no prophecy over their heads, no evil to drive them apart, nothing to ruin their lives together. They were looking forward to what they were going to do after school, and how they could share it with one another. Then they broke apart, and it was gone.

"Come and visit us, okay?"

"I…yes, I think I will Gin. Soon too, by Christmas at the latest. Don't tell anyone though, it can be our secret, okay?"

"Okay," she giggled. Then they parted, each going their own way, to their own homes.

Harry glanced back once at the girl he loved. In his mind's eye he saw a different ring on her finger, a beautiful house right close to the Burrow, and a pack of small red haired, green eyed children. Then she rounded the corner and his daydream ended with almost crushing finality. Harry smiled sadly.

"I was a day late, Gin. I'm sorry…" With that apology hanging in the night air he pulled out his cell phone, a gift from his girlfriend, and hastily dialed her number. It wasn't too late after all, and Flooing only took a few minutes. Perhaps, if she agreed, it was time for them to go home. She had always said she wanted to see England, after all.

_Who knew what we know now_

_Could've been more_

_But at least you're still my day late friend_

_We are who_

_We are who we were when

* * *

_

Wow, 9 pages. It's sad, I know, but the song spoke to me so much and I just pictured this sad almost romantic comedy-ish movie in New York. These two just seemed to fit. I hope you liked it. Please review if you feel inclined. If inspiration hits I'll do another soon, as this only took 2 days in do. But I'm out of ideas now, so we'll see what happens. Good day and God Bless!


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